Transducer interface systems are used to sense inputs from a contextual environment and/or provide outputs to a contextual environment (e.g., a user, an environment surrounding a user). In a specific application, such an interface system can include an electrode that provides stimulation to a body region of the user, and/or an electrode that senses signals from the body region of the user (e.g., electrical potentials from the brain or scalp). In consideration of modularity, it is sometimes desirable to design such transducer interface systems in a manner that facilitates easy interchange of transducer units (e.g., to provide different functions), facilitates easy attachment and/or removal of transducer units (e.g., for storage), or facilitates easy replacement of worn or damage transducer units (e.g., to allow replacement of contaminated electrodes).
Coupling regions between transducers and their support devices are often prone to corrosion and other forms of degradation, especially if such transducers are used in environments that enhance corrosion (e.g., saline/electrolyte environments, environments that promote crevice corrosion, environments that promote galvanic corrosion, etc.). Current systems, however, fail to adequately prevent corrosion of contact regions between transducers and their support devices, fail to achieve corrosion prevention (or other forms of damage prevention) in a low-cost manner, fail to achieve damage prevention in a space-efficient manner, and/or fail to achieve damage prevention in a manner that accounts for user considerations. Furthermore, in the context of electrodes, current systems fail to prevent undesired bridging between multiple contacts of the same or different electrodes, which can substantially damage the electrical contacts involved and/or divert stimulation current through an undesired path. Even further, in applications that involve persistent voltage differentials between electrode contacts, and/or stimulation using waveforms other than charge-balanced biphasic pulses (e.g., transcranial direct current stimulation), traditional techniques for protecting electrode contacts, such as some plating techniques, are often insufficient in preventing corrosion.
Thus, there is a need in the bioelectrical device field for a new and useful electrical interface system. This invention provides such a new and useful system.